


Returned

by ColdAngels



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27954401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdAngels/pseuds/ColdAngels
Summary: She's trying to forget. But how can she do that when he's dropped back into her life? J/S.
Relationships: Jareth/Sarah Williams
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So it's been awhile. Sorry 'bout that. 
> 
> Just got back into the movie and wanted to write something for it. Here's hoping I finish this thing lol.

**AU! AU AU AU**

**Recently got back into the movie, as well as the pairing.**

**Inspired by: /watch?v=mPFrgMRVlLw**

* * *

Our story starts here, where Sarah Williams is at the young age of 23 and packing her younger brother, Tobys, lunch for school. The espresso machine shuts off and the familiar trickle of liquid coffee into a porcelain mug is the only sound in the house, until Toby comes bounding down the stairs with a piece of paper clutched in hand.

His blond bangs fall in front of his face as he stops beside his sister and Sarah bends down to brush them away so he can see her. He has a giant grin on his face and is panting slightly, but still holds it out to her.

Sarah smiles, "What's this, Toby?"

He begins to bounce on his feet, hands clasped in front of him, "Just a drawing I did in class."

She brings it to eye level, only for the breath to catch in her lungs. But her brother doesn't notice as he continues on, nodding to it.

"I based it on that book you gave me when I was a kid."

Sarah swallows. She tries to smile, "Oh?"

He, however, frowns. "Remember, labyrinth?"

_Labyrinth._

"With the girl and the goblin king."

_Goblin King._

"...Sarah?"

"Hm?" She looks up, then, right into her baby brothers bright blue eyes and it lands her back to earth. "Right, the - the book." A warm smile graces her lips as she passes the drawing back and attempts to shake the dizziness overcoming her, when something strikes her. A confusion. "You still have it?"

He smiles again. "Of course, it's a really cool story."

_A story._

"It is." The reply slips out and she instantly wishes she could take it back. But before she can think more on it, the honking of a bus interrupts the two and she exhales a breath as she brings him in for a hug.

"It's a wonderful drawing, Tobes." And she means it. Though it shakes her.

The bus honks again and she finally lets go of him, touches his cheek then stretches behind her to pass him his school bag.

"I'll see you after school, yeah?"

He nods then runs to the door.

"Bye, Sarah!"

She watches him race down the driveway and lifts a hand to the driver, who smiles back and closes the door, and she waits for it to disappear before stepping away to place a hand over her eyes.

But she can't get the drawing out of her head.

* * *

She hasn't thought about them since she started college.

They had left after her first date with a boy but the memories didn't disappear until she had buried herself in schoolwork. And jobs, relationships, her parents, Toby. _Life._

She had gotten on with it. Not of her step-mothers accord, but her own. She had grown up, mentally and physically over the years and simply didn't have the time nor energy nor _interest_ to bury in fantasies anymore.

But of course she still had a soft spot for it. The fairytales, the wishing. Them, even to an extent. She just hadn't lost herself in it, in getting caught up with the ideals of it all. After stuffing the dress, flower crown, plush toys, books and music box into a bag and donating the lot to charity, she had thought that that had been it. But then she had found the book - the damn red play book - in her dresser and after mulling it over, decided to pass it on to her little brother.

She couldn't say why she hadn't given it away as well. It just seemed _wrong_ to do so. And Toby did enjoy it; that drawing said enough.

_The drawing._

Sarah sighs as she curls both hands around the bench, her eyes coming to rest on her now cold cup of coffee. Still, she reaches for it and takes a hesitant sip.

To dump the rest in the sink.

The suns morning rays begin to peek through the window and Sarah glances at the clock to see it just tick past 9am.

Her eyes widen. A half hour had passed.

Brows furrowed, she pushes it down and heads upstairs to get ready for the day.

* * *

She's doing the dishes when the phone rings.

It's her step-mother.

She puts on a smile, pushes out an all too cheery voice, "Hi, Irene."

"Sarah, did you know Toby still has that book?"

She leans back against the bench. "What book?"

"That little red book you carried with you when you were younger."

_God, why is she being reminded of this stupid thing?_

But her mouth still runs dry.

"Yes. Yeah." She shakes her head. "What - um - what about it?"

"He still has it," she repeats.

"Yes."

". . .Well?"

Sarah scoffs. "Well what?"

"I don't want you indulging him in these fantasies! It might have been fine when he was 5, but he's almost 13 now, a teenager. I don't want him carrying these stories through high school."

_They're not fantasies._

But she holds her tongue.

When she doesn't reply, her step-mothers voice softens. "Really, Sarah, you're a grown woman now. You should know better than to fill his head with this nonsense."

She tightens her grip on the phone. "So he doodles pictures from it, it's not hurting him."

"No, but it's going to hinder his development - "

"Like me?"

Irene sighs heavily and says almost in defeat, "Sarah, I don't want an argument."

She swallows.

"Thankfully, you did away with all that soon after babysitting Toby. I still don't know what changed your mind…"

Sarah bites her lip, "He'll be fine."

"You know that's not true."

And unable to take it anymore, she blurts into the receiver,

"Why do you have such an issue with him holding onto the Labyrinth!?"

A piercing silence follows, and Sarah doesn't realise she's shaking until she puts a palm against her forehead.

"I. . .I'm sorry, I - "

"Perhaps your father should talk to you."

"Irene - "

"I don't know why you can't see things how I do."

Then just as Sarah opens her mouth, the line clicks. And she's left with the dial tone as she sinks to the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

She isn't sure how much time has passed before she finally pushes herself up off the tiles, albeit gradually, and wipes the tears from her eyes. Her mind is still in a haze as she places the phone back on the hook, the tone immediately shutting off to leave a deafening silence about the house.

Sarah sighs as she looks out the window; the sky is still a stunning blue, though a few dark clouds have begun to appear with one slowly inching towards the sun, and her gaze reluctantly darts up to the clock.

4pm.

Her brows knit together. Surely she hadn't spent that long on the floor. The call with her step-mother had only lasted under a minute.

Running a hand through her hair, she decides to go about making herself some overdue lunch; something to occupy her mind that isn't Irene or Toby or... _them_.

_I'm sorry for calling you all a story._

Lettuce, tomato. There's some ham in the back of the fridge. And only two slices of bread left tells her she needs to take a trip to the supermarket. Toby does need more lunch things as well.

She's just reached for the butter when two firm knocks sound at the door.

A startling cold sinks into her and she turns her head to the foyer, where two more knocks ring out again.

Her heart beats wildly against her chest as she steps back from the fridge and she doesn't move until the ringing from it being left open startles her back to earth. With a shaking hand, she closes it promptly then heads for the door where 4 knocks turn to 6.

And the second she takes the handle, the phone chimes again.

Wiping a hand across her forehead, she jerks the door open and is ready to yell at whoever is on her porch to leave her alone, when,

Two mismatched eyes catch hers.

Her fingers still on the frame as she lets her gaze roam him. _Is it him?_

Gone is the shock of blond hair and in its place is soft blond locks with just the hint of brown underneath, which has been tousled many times by the thin fingers that are clasped together in front of him. A pale beige suit adorns him, with a bright blue shirt peeking underneath the jacket and a pair of red & white shoes have replaced the knee high riding boots.

Really, he looks to be a salesman. And if she hadn't seen the eyes, she would've dismissed him.

But then he smiles, a brilliant one to show his sharp canines and Sarah feels the breath leave her.

"Aren't you going to get that?"

_It is him._

/

"You're not him."

Jareth watches her pace in front of him as he settles back into the only very uncomfortable armchair that occupies her living room. He shifts now, not quite subtly mind you, and if Sarah hadn't been so lost in her own head she would've offered him a different seat. Perhaps the couch for his majesty to lounge on.

"You _can't_ be him."

"Sarah, please sit down."

She stops, then and looks right at him. Though it's difficult to do so; she hasn't stared into those eyes for 8 years.

A scoff escapes her, " _Sit down?_ "

He raises an eyebrow, "Yes?"

When she just shakes her head at him, he changes his approach and puts his hands together. "I know this must come as a shock to you - "

She smiles in disbelief, "What gave you that idea?"

He pauses to gesture to her feet, "Well, you're in a very frantic state, wandering up and down the floor and you've been muttering to yourself for the last 7 minutes."

At the mention of time, she feels something suddenly dawn on her and her mouth drops open.

"You were putting the clocks forward, weren't you? Making me feel like I was losing my mind…" She begins to stalk across the carpet again as she scrubs her face with her hands.

He leans forward, "Sarah, please listen to me."

"No." She stops again, to where she's diagonally from him, and fixes a glare his way. "You don't get to just drop in on me after 8 years and expect a warm welcome." Her voice rises. "I have _tried_ to forget you, _all_ of you, and now…"

To her horror, tears begin to prick at the corners of her eyes and she turns away to brush them off. A silence passes between them, until she releases an exhausted sigh and mutters something else. Something that, even the thought of, causes a slight smile to tug at her lips.

"I was going to make a sandwich."

Jareth frowns. "Sorry?"

She sniffs and flicks two fingers towards the kitchen. "Don't be. I wouldn't have eaten it anyway." Then when the quiet becomes too unbearable, she clears her throat and turns back to him. "So um - why are you here?"

Her eyes search him, but he merely smiles at her and leans back in the chair.

"You humans are a funny sort."

She frowns.

With an amused lilt in his tone, he continues. "Your emotions are very unstable at the worst of times, aren't they?"

Something burns in her throat and for a second, she gets the sudden urge to slap him.

But his face suddenly sets, the smile dissolves and he shifts in his seat again as he clearly avoids her gaze. And she swallows thickly.

"What is it?"

When he doesn't look up at her, she takes a tentative step forward.

"Jareth?"

It's the first time she's ever spoken his name, and they both seem to realise it at the same time. His head jerks up so his eyes hold hers and she feels a shock run through her; though it's intense, his face is still hard, his expression grim.

"The labyrinth needs you back, Sarah."


End file.
